Aug. 22, 2025

UCalgary student entrepreneurs on self-doubt, inspiration and starting a business

What do things look like when you start from scratch?
Two women sit in white armchairs side by side
Madeline Springle and Amanda Dickson. Tammie Samuel, Communications

University of Calgary geography and anthropology graduate Amanda Dickson, BSc’16, MSc’25, and Madeline Springle, MSc’23, a PhD student in industrial organizational psychology, both started their own businesses while studying: one in science communication and one in job-interview coaching.

In this peer-to-peer chat, they reflect on moving through fear, defining success, finding inspiration through research and forging one’s own path. Stick around for a fun speed round where we learn their go-to apps, favourite campus spots and more.


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